McDonald’s stirring the pot in the fast food chicken sandwich game with their twist on the iconic Big Mac: The Chicken Big Mac.
The new Big Mac retains the classic recipe of a Big Mac bun, Big Mac sauce, cheese, lettuce, and pickles but replaces the two beef patties with two tempura batter chicken patties. The Chicken Big Mac was released nationwide on Oct 10, 2024, with a test run in Miami, FL in 2022. It gained major popularity after highly influential online streamer Kai Cenat made a video trying the New Big Mac. Thus, giving the sandwich the nickname “The Kai Cenat Meal”. Senior Jackson Grant said he heard about the new sandwich because of a video he saw on TikTok.
The fast food industry has been engaged in a “chicken sandwich war,” with chains like Popeyes, Chick-fil-A, and Dave’s Hot Chicken battling to be on top. McDonald’s has made several attempts at making a name for itself, such as the crispy chicken sandwich that was released in 2021. But The Chicken Big Mac takes this a step further by combining it with the beloved Big Mac recipe in hopes of gaining a prominent spot in the chicken sandwich world.
How do the people feel about The Chicken Big Mac? Many people have mixed feelings about the new sandwich. Senior Jackson Grant said, “ I wish it had a thicker patty and breading like the Chick-fil-A sandwich”. While most people like the new sandwich many still prefer the competitors’ sandwiches. “ I really like it,” Senior Alissa Huynh said “ But I’d much prefer a Chick-fil-A or Dave’s Hot Chicken sandwich”. Whether the people like it or not The Chicken Big Mac has gotten McDonald’s a prominent spot in the chicken sandwich war and has become a popular subject of conversion on the internet.
